Within Maharashtra, the Mumbai-Pune corridor presented a unique prospect with significant latent healthcare demand and constrained supply. With a footprint that provided healthcare access to approximately 20 million people in Pune, Nashik, and Karad, Sahyadri offered a fantastic opportunity. Having clinical capabilities and a good executive track record, Sahyadri was the apt platform for creating the largest hospital network in Maharashtra.
 

With the support of Everstone, Sahyadri commenced work on quickly expanding by adding approximately 200 beds in the last two to three years to the existing facilities. It also improved the physical infrastructure for a better patient experience and added high-end medical technology for best-in-class care and the continuum of care in a holistic manner by increasing the diagnostics platform.
 

Another focus area was to widen the reach in Western and Central India and to bring in a professional management team to work under the guidance of promoters. The hospital chain brought in new medical talent and created Centres of Excellence (CoE) for quaternary care. These initiatives were directed towards revamping Sahyadri by improving the overall digital customer experience, adding digital capabilities and adopting a ‘Culture of Care’. Today, Sahyadri has a hub and spoke model with multiple facilities complementing each other, as each is positioned uniquely to serve all segments of the population.

Deploying technology to create long-term value

EY worked with the investors (Everstone) and the management (Sahyadri) on the value creation plan with a dedicated project management office to drive various strategic and operational initiatives over the last 2.5 years and delivered a comprehensive business transformation program across the investment lifecycle. This included the preparation of concise value-creating objectives, identification of value levers, and an optimization plan followed by a detailed implementation plan to ensure timely and effective realization.
 

One of our key focus areas was to design and roll out a technology platform (integrated HMIS and ERP). We launched patient and doctor apps for a seamless digital customer experience and engagement, including cyber services-related assistance while ensuring that Sahyadri gained a cost advantage through operational efficiency.
 

The EY team became a core part of the Sahyadri family, truly embedded into the organization’s fabric. Having a robust PMO with the right governance, rhythm and teaming covering all key aspects comprising COVID-19 management, operational excellence, clinical acquisitions, strategic business planning/AOP, sales and marketing, and projects, the EY team was standing shoulder to shoulder with the management being onsite from May 2020 during the lockdown phase.
 

We also undertook growth initiatives like exploring M&A and feasibility in multiple new markets while overseeing the planning and execution of new business ventures like retail lab business and genetics.
 

To summarize, in two and a half years, post-investment, Sahyadri is now among the top percentile performers in the sector across all key operating metrics like ROCE, growth, and operational efficiency. As a trusted partner, EY created an effective and synergistic collaboration between the investors, company management, each one committed to achieving the best possible result against all odds. This endeavor is a great testimony to the strategic partnership between two committed organizations.